Women Empowerment

 Introduction

The term “Women Empowerment” refers to empowering women with education, employment,
decision making, and better health in view of an equal and just society. Women Empowerment is a
process to make the women financially independent, educated and progressive, enjoying a good
social status. Women since ages have been struggling to be socially and professionally recognized
as equivalent to men. There are many incidents in a woman’s personal and professional life, where
her abilities are undermined against that of a man’s; having an adverse effect on her over all
personality and hampering her growth.

The abilities of women in making decisions, education, and profession have been largely
suppressed since ages, considering them inferior to men. The situation is worst in underdeveloped
and developing nations where women in a family are not allowed to take financial decisions or
decide on matters regarding their own education.

Empowerment can be defined in many ways, however, when talking about women's empowerment,
empowerment means accepting and allowing people (women) who are on the outside of the
decision-making process into it. “This puts a strong emphasis on participation in political structures
and formal decision-making and, in the economic sphere, on the ability to obtain an income that
enables participation in economic decision-making.”[3] Empowerment is the process that creates
power in individuals over their own lives, society, and in their communities. People are empowered
when they are able to access the opportunities available to them without limitations and
restrictions such as in education, profession and lifestyle. Feeling entitled to make your own
decisions creates a sense of empowerment. Empowerment includes the action of raising the status
of women through education, raising awareness, literacy, and training. Women's empowerment is
all about equipping and allowing women to make life-determining decisions through the different
problems in society.[4]

it is the process for women to redefine gender roles that allows for them to acquire the ability to
choose between known alternatives whom have otherwise been restricted from such an
ability.[1] There are several principles defining women's empowerment such as, for one to be
empowered, they must come from a position of disempowerment. Furthermore, one must acquire
empowerment themselves rather than have it given to them by an external party. Other studies
have found that empowerment definitions entail people having the capability to make important
decisions in their lives while also being able to act on them. Lastly, empowerment and
disempowerment is relative to other at a previous time; therefore, empowerment is a process, not a
product.[2]

Women empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion in development and economics.
It can also point to the approaches regarding other trivialized genders in a particular political or
social context.
Women's economic empowerment refers to the ability for women to enjoy their right to control and
benefit from the resources, assets, income and their own time, as well as the ability to manage
risk and improve their economic status and well being.[5]
While often interchangeably used, the more comprehensive concept of gender empowerment refers
to people of any gender, stressing the distinction between biological and gender as a role.
Women empowerment is one way to get the underprivileged as well as the reasonably privileged
women to come to realise their worth and potential in the face of a male dominated country/world.
Most women through education and familial privileges have in today’s world realised and
appropriated their potentials in the best possible manner. However unfortunately there is still a
section of the society that constitutes women who lack education and confidence enough to find
their grounds in the male dominated society and make their substance felt.

 10 Reasons why women empowerment is crucial

today!

 Why women empowerment is important?

Women must possess the self worth, confidence and freedom to choose what they may with regard
to their private and professional choices alike. Gender bias is unreasonable and wrong on so many
levels, curbing potent individuals from not only striving towards their best but from living an
independent life free of domination and fear.

Women empowerment seeks to stimulate the confidence in women by providing to them

Women empowerment helps in fighting this backwardness in ways mentioned below:

 RULING OUT UNDER-EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Around 50 per cent of the world population consists of the women population. Unemployment of
women and unequal opportunities in the places of work cause great problems around the world,
because true potential is left from being harnessed.
  RECOGNISING THAT WOMEN ARE EQUALLY INTELLIGENT ; It is important to

realise and understand that women in the modern era are not only equally

competent but often times even ahead of men in several socio-economic fields, thus

making their presence in the work front extremely important.

 …AND A STOREHOUSE OF IMMENSE TALENT

Women empowerment is essential today because earlier, women were not allowed to receive
higher education, the society was backward and the times were different. But now the times have
changed. Women take up the same responsibilities as men and do a wonderful job in showcasing
their talents when given an opportunity to. It is necessary that they are given a chance to compete
on the same level as men only to be able to benefit the employment and job spheres of our country.

 TO PROMOTE AN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY

Gender shouldn’t be an unreasonable determining factor curbing potential candidates from

Why shouldn’t a woman be a part of a work environment which is traditionally dominated by men?
For instance in the corporate worlds, industries like law, engineering and in the creative field –
sports like cricket still give recognition to the male players over the female players, which is unfair.

Let’s say for example that we usually associated cooking with women in the earlier days, when
women were to nurture and look after the family. Her job was to maintain peace and harmony at
home. However the roles have reversed and nowadays men as chefs are doing wonderfully well all
over the world, having broken the stereotype of image of a woman subject to the kitchen.
Then why should women not be viewed in a positive light when they do something which has been
more akin to the male gender over the years?

 TO GRANT WOMEN ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

Every individual requires living an independent life free of domination and subjugation. Why
should women then have to put at stake their independence for the sake of old school traditional
values which don’t stand any longer today?

Women empowerment is hence also crucial in fostering economic independence among women
who depend on their husbands for their daily bread, subjecting themselves to the possibility of
mistreatment. This is unfair to them, given that they have the capacity to perform and add to the
economic benefits of the society apart from exhibiting economic independence themselves.

 TO REDUCE SCOPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

As mentioned in the previous point, when independence is acquired all sorts of mistreatment can
be dodged. Mistreatment includes domestic violence and sexual exploitation even in marriage.

It is important that women understand what inacceptable behaviour is, in order to fight against it.
This is why education is very important and education is another great key towards women
empowerment, and also the result of women empowerment

 TO ERRADICATE CORRUPTION

Corruption addressed to women or to the society in general, shall be reduced when women are
permitted to receive education equal to men. So women empowerment is also necessary, in order
to bring about peace and justice to the society with women being equally equipped to fight against
the wrongs by perhaps participating in movements, raising their voices single handed or joining
groups and civil service jobs to serve their fellow country mates in the same manner as men.
  TO GET RID OF POVERTY

While women empowerment serves in granting economic independence to women, it also serves
in contributing to the economic benefits of the household and the society as a whole.

Pressure on one individual to earn a family’s living can be too much to bear, which is why it is
rightful to share the burden amongst one another to provide for a better living condition to their
family members and also to gradually uproot poverty from the country by facilitating proper
distribution of wealth per household.

 TO FACILITATE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Women have exhibited potential in the National and even International levels. Women like Sakshi
Malik (wrestler), Dipa Karmakar (gymnast) and Manushi Chhillar,( the girl who recently bagged the
Miss World crown) have all portrayed extraordinary potential and rose to International recognition
even, let aside national.

These are the women who inspire and back women empowerment movements even further to
purport the talents of women which look forth to be appropriated in the best possible manner.

This is why women empowerment is necessary, so that not one or two women accidentally get a
chance to justify their potential and contribute to National pride but so that many other women
fearlessly are able to take part in anything and everything that a man takes part in, to discover
themselves. There shouldn’t be any hint of discrimination.

 REALISE THE ADVANTAGEOUS PROSPECT OF WOMEN OVER MEN

Certain jobs in fact can’t reach up to their best capacities without the participation of women. It is
the very sentiment of nurturing, softness and warmth in some women that is necessary in fields like
Non Governmental Organizations, Nursing, teaching and other similar sorts of jobs where along
with the participation of men, female involvement is vital for the smooth functioning of the system
in order to achieve the ideals they seek to achieve.
Why else do we need women empowerment today other than bringing about a change to the
world and breaking stereotypes to assist in the greater benefit of the society, the nation and the
world as a whole?

Would you like to be a part of a women empowerment programme? How else would you strive to
achieve equality? Share your views in the comments section. Let us all get together and add to the
development of our country.